Changing Dynamics of Family Structure in East Asia

The traditional nuclear family structure is losing its hold in East Asia, with cohabitation before formal marriage becoming more acceptable. There is an increase in the number of single-person households, a decline in marriages, and a redefining of what constitutes a family. Economic precarity and a disconnect between the desired family structures and societal expectations are seen as reasons for people opting out of marriage and having children. These shifts in family dynamics are predicted to have significant demographic and economic implications, including a decline in population and share of global GDP in East Asian territories.